{Cinder}

Lynn was afraid to close her eyes. Afraid that when she opened them again, Xelan, Sagan, and Pablo would disappear. Her heart hurt enough that the Valkyrie and Chris were missing. Presumably taken. But seeing this much of their family under one roof felt so good.

Something bad was on its way.

Pablo’s warm hand filled hers, and Lynn felt safe enough to close her eyes. They both broke their vows. They already slipped away and forgave each other.

Three times.

He kissed her knuckles, and she opened her eyes to her living, non-gutted husband. Those soft, full lips of his smiled at her. “Are you ready for this?”

Ready for number four—

Kyle plopped down at the table beside them with a bacon and egg sandwich. “Are you two ready?”

Lynn groaned. Right. How could she forget? As if today wasn’t jam-packed already?

Xelan and Tameka sat down next. Both of them sporting some serious exhaustion in their sagging shoulders, and heavy shadows formed around their eyes. Lynn pitied them after the last few hours of organizing this enormous migration. And still, so much remained.

The memory fusion.

Kyle offered to fuse Tameka’s memory of the last two years with Xelan to bring him up to speed. Genius, really. Pablo volunteered to monitor them during the procedure.

He checked their vitals. “I’ll use this as a baseline. If your heart rates go above 170bpm, I’ll stop the memory transfer. Kyle? Are you good?”

“Yup.” He laid his sandwich down and wiped his greasy hands on his pants. Ew. “Let’s do this.”

Tameka needled him. “Wouldn’t want to keep you from your girlfriend.”

Impervious to her barbs, Kyle grinned. “Not any longer than I have to.”

As if summoned by their conversation, Silence glided into the entrance. She wore what looked like a sheet ripped and wrapped around her breasts and hips. Picking her way on bare feet across the red dirt, she searched the busy crowd with sharp gray eyes. As if looking for someone…

Lynn caught all three men peering at her with similar expressions. “Pablo?”

With the spell broken, he shook his head and smiled at his wife. She picked up a napkin and dabbed his mouth. “You got some drool there, sweetie.”

Sagan stepped through the conduit and nearly collided with the tall, graceful woman. Kyle moved to the edge of his seat with eyes only for their interaction. Silence beamed her Hollywood smile at the Seamswalker. The Progeny woman took in her outfit and climbed to her tiptoes to whisper in the Icarean woman’s ear. Suggestively.

They both turned and looked at Kyle.

He coughed into his hand and swiveled in his seat. “Shall we?”

Xelan muttered, “Uncle Vinco’s Verse…”

“Hmm?” Tameka leaned into him.

He kissed her and whispered, “Later.”

“Will you be able to do this with her around?” Pablo snickered in disbelief.

Kyle shook his head straight again after staring at Silence rehydrate in the kitchen.

Xelan groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Our brains will melt for certain.”

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Story Taker touched both of their temples, and the trio fell silent.

Pablo lowered his watch. “They’re doing great.”

Silence glided by with a plate of fruit and water bottles in hand. Lynn eyed her. “You know, I think I’ll see if Rayne is okay with me filling up the chains.”

“Awesome idea. But she’s been so quiet today. Do you think it’s okay to take it without her expressed consent?”

It’s true. Lynn couldn’t remember the last time she was down here this long without Rayne glowing or whispering to them. She strongly suspecting their King adopted a mortician’s sense of humor. “I don’t think she’ll mind, but I’ll ask her first. Be right back.”

Stalking Silence was on the way to the skid. Lynn, chains in hand, moved through the crowd, noting the woman’s avian way of observing the events. She kept glancing at the conduit, like she expected someone to come through it. And someone did.

Lucas changed into a black three-piece with gold brocade. On anyone else it might look silly, but the huggable-height Icarus pulled it off. Looking elegant until he froze in his tracks to gaze at Silence, also still as a statue staring back. He gave a slow half bow, lowering his eyes in deference. She tipped her head at him, and both of them returned on their course.

Weird Icarean shit.

Silence danced her way through the crowd and up the ramp to whatever room she and Kyle shared.

Not that Lynn was jealous of the privacy or anything. The skid sped across the lake. She hated making this trek, but it was necessary to replenish their life-saving chains. They worked perfectly, but she hoped to never use them again. Fueled by the power of a sun sounded okay on paper. In the end, it still burned.

“Hey, your majesty. Do you mind if we refill? I can’t express our gratitude enough, Rayne. It was like fighting at your side again. Thank you.”

Nothing. No light. No blue pulse. Pablo’s right. Normally, she’d respond somehow—

“Chief? You there? This is Tempest. Over.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. Lynn answered the comms device. “This is Chief. Over.”

Tempest, Dolor, and Lucas were the Shadow’s main benefactors in The Brethren. All their votes went in favor of Shadow interests. Short-haired, chic, and an Icarus, Tempest got down and dirty when the situation called for it. Lynn regretted not contacting her by now.

“I’m at the Ecology. What happened? Are you all right? Where is everyone?”

The concern in the Icarean woman’s voice made Lynn feel more like dogshit. “All are accounted for and in one piece. I can’t explain everything right now. I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

After a pause, Dolor came on the line. He always sounded like a professor giving a monotonous lecture, but sweetly. “As long as you’re safe, the rest doesn’t matter. We’ll take care of the Ecology and the Arsenal. How can we help you move forward?”

While she talked with them, Lynn filled the mini Pretiosum Cruor vessels on the chains. “Can you give me a few days? I’ll get back to you once I confer with everyone.”

“Of course. We’ll look after the Zeppelin and the crops. Stay safe. Call if you need anything. Over and Out.”

What a mess. Lynn crossed back over the lake to find Xelan, Tameka, and Kyle still frozen. Another patient arrived in the meantime. Pablo palpated Sagan under Korac’s scrutiny. Now there was an Icarus with a nice ass. She overheard some of the conversation on her way over.

“Your body is rejecting the—did you say ‘Aegis?’” At the Icarus’ nod, Pablo continued, “Rejecting the Aegis blood. It’s hardening in all your blood vessels. I’ll need to start you on dialysis, and you’ll need a donor.” He gave a bashful glance at Korac.

Right. Who else would Sagan drink from?

While they worked everything out, Lynn slipped a chain over her own head, Pablo’s head, and Sagan’s head. Korac quirked a brow, suggesting he have one.

So flirtatious, but Lynn didn’t play that way. “These belong to others. You’ll get yours if the group votes you in.” She winked at him and pat Sagan’s shoulder gently. “Take care of yourself—”

The three memory-walkers startled all at once.

Pablo set upon checking their vitals, pupil dilation, and reflexes.

Kyle searched the room. No doubt seeking Silence.

Xelan slow blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. He sniffled. Once. Twice. Eventually, Tameka offered, “Let’s take Pax and head to the house for a nap. Does that work for you?”

Sagan nodded at Pablo. “Do you think we can join them and perform the dialysis there? It’s much less… oppressive.”

They all scanned around the black stone chamber with its prize encased in the center.

“Yeah… Let’s do that. Lynn, are you ready to go?” Pablo stood and held out his hand to her.

She took it and snuggled into him. “I could use a change in scenery. Besides, we get to pick our rooms before anyone else this way. There are enough rooms? Right, Xelan?”

Wingmaster gazed at his son, hanging out with that imprisoned woman. He looked ready to cry again. Softly, he assured, “Yes. More than enough. Choose one of the eight rooms by the infirmary, if you don’t mind.” Without another word, he stood and crossed the chamber to his son.

Tameka smiled with an apologetic shrug before following.

“Hey Lynn?” Kyle touched her elbow before she walked away with the others.

She turned with an eyebrow raised for him. “Yeah?”

“Can you be a dear and put me and Silence down for a corner suite with an ocean view?”

“Hah! All I heard out of your mouth was ‘utility closet in the basement.’ Boy, please.”

Kyle shrugged with a shit-eating grin. “You know? That’s probably for the best. She’s a screamer.”

With that, white boy got on his high horse and rode away into the sunset.